monkey Meaning & Definition
What Does Monkey Mean?
As a noun, monkey means A member of the clade Simiiformes other than those in the clade Hominoidea containing apes, generally (but not universally) distinguished by small size, tails, and cheek pouches. It can also mean Any simian, including humans. As a verb, it means To meddle; to mess (with).
Word Facts for Monkey
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈmʌŋki// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | rascal, scamp and rapscallion |
| Plural | monkeys |
| Verb forms | monkeys, monkeying, monkeyed |
Monkey Definition (Noun)
- A member of the clade Simiiformes other than those in the clade Hominoidea containing apes, generally (but not universally) distinguished by small size, tails, and cheek pouches.
He had been visiting an area zoo when a monkey swung from its tree perch, swiped his glasses and hurled them into a hippo hole.
- Any simian, including humans.
- Any simian primate other than hominids; any monkey or ape.
Chimpanzees are known to form bands to hunt and kill other monkeys.
- A human considered to resemble monkeys in some way, including:
A naughty or mischievous person, especially a child.
Stop misbehaving, you cheeky little monkey!
- A naughty or mischievous person, especially a child.
Stop misbehaving, you cheeky little monkey!
- The person in the motorcycle sidecar in sidecar racing.
- Synonym of idiot: a person of minimal intelligence.
- Synonym of uggo: an unattractive person, especially one whose face supposedly resembles a monkey's.
- Synonym of puppet: a person dancing to another's tune, a person controlled or directed by another.
No, no, no, not you. I want to talk to the organ grinder, not the monkey.
- A menial employee who does a repetitive job supposedly requiring minimal intelligence.
code monkey
- A black person.
- A penis.
- A small trading vessel of the sixteenth century.
- The vessel in which a mess receives its full allowance of grog.
- The weight of a pile driver or drop hammer.
- A fluid consisting of hydrochloric acid and zinc, used in the process of soldering.
- Synonym of five hundred, especially 500 pounds sterling or 500 dollars.
- Synonym of face card.
- A person's temper, said to be "up" when they are angry.
- A drug habit; an addiction; a compulsion.
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkey.
- A dance popularized by Major Lance in 1963, now usually only its upper-body dance move involving exaggerated drumming motions.
Monkey as a Verb
- To meddle; to mess (with).
Please don't monkey with the controls if you don't know what you're doing.
- To mimic; to ape.
Noun
- Any member of the clade Simiiformes not also of the clade Hominoidea containing humans and apes, from which they are usually, but not universally, distinguished by smaller size, a tail, and cheek pouches.
He had been visiting an area zoo when a monkey swung from its tree perch, swiped his glasses and hurled them into a hippo hole.
- Any nonhuman simian primate, including apes.
Chimpanzees are known to form bands to hunt and kill other monkeys.
- A mischievous child.
She's a cheeky monkey.
- A dance move popular in the 1960s.
- Five hundred pounds sterling; five hundred dollars.
- A person or the role of the person on the sidecar platform of a motorcycle involved in sidecar racing.
- A person with minimal intelligence and/or an unattractive appearance
- A face card.
- A menial employee who does a repetitive job, as in code monkey, grease monkey, phone monkey, powder monkey.
- The weight or hammer of a pile driver; a heavy mass of iron, which, being raised high, falls on the head of the pile, and drives it into the earth; the falling weight of a drop hammer used in forging.
Synonyms of Monkey
Antonyms of Monkey
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Monkey in a Sentence
He had been visiting an area zoo when a monkey swung from its tree perch, swiped his glasses and hurled them into a hippo hole.
Chimpanzees are known to form bands to hunt and kill other monkeys.
Stop misbehaving, you cheeky little monkey!
No, no, no, not you. I want to talk to the organ grinder, not the monkey.
code monkey
grease monkey
phone monkey
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkey.
Please don't monkey with the controls if you don't know what you're doing.
She's a cheeky monkey.
Word Forms & Grammar
monkey (plural monkeys or (obsolete) monkies)
monkey (third-person singular simple present monkeys, present participle monkeying, simple past and past participle monkeyed or monkied)
Words That Rhyme With Monkey
Origin of Monkey
Uncertain:
How Do You Say Monkey?
You say monkey as //ˈmʌŋki//. It has 1 syllable.
Monkey: Your Questions Answered
Is monkey a noun or a verb?
Monkey is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for monkey?
Words with a similar meaning to monkey include rascal, scamp and rapscallion. See the full list of monkey synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of monkey?
The plural of monkey is monkeys.
What is the past tense of monkey?
The past tense of monkey is monkeyed. The present participle is monkeying.